Individuals with dental braces frequently encounter difficulty when attempting to floss their teeth. This difficulty stems from the fact that the braces pose an obstacle to a strand of floss being inserted between the teeth as desired to clean along the gum line. Dental braces usually include anchoring mechanisms which are centered and glued onto the distal faces of the teeth. A wire extends across the distal faces supported by the anchoring mechanisms and spans adjacent teeth. The spanning wire is usually located about midway between the gum line and the top or bottom cutting edges of the teeth. The spanning brace wire presents a formidable challenge for an individual wishing to floss between adjacent teeth near the gum line. This occurs because the floss may only be inserted so far as the spanning brace wire. The remaining space between the gum line and the spanning wire typically goes unflossed because the individual finds it difficult or impossible to insert a piece of dental floss into the small space between adjacent teeth, the gum line and the spanning brace wire.
People who do not have dental braces also frequently experience difficulty in adequately supporting a strand of dental floss. Conventional dental floss is most typically supported by spooling the ends of the strand of dental floss about the index fingers. The exposed segment of the strand is then positioned between the teeth and manipulated to dislodge materials from the teeth and gum line. This technique is disadvantageous for many people who do not have strong hands and fingers, such as many children and older people. Even for others who can adequately support the segment of dental floss, the experience can be less than optimal.
The present invention was developed to provide improved flossing and improved convenience in performing flossing, particularly for individuals with dental braces.